SinFest: A Devilish-ly Fun Time!

How many Deadly Sins are there?

Festival Staffers Kathryn Gucik (Events) and Jake Sinatra (Public Relations) know the answer - SEVEN!

This year Central City Opera gives you the chance to indulge in all Seven Deadly Sins...and try a new eighth one as well.  Saturday, we had our first SinFest - a progressively sinful experience starting with The Seven Deadly Sins in the Central City Opera House. After enjoying the one-act opera by Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht, our "sinners" headed across the street to Williams Stables. The upper level of this historic building, rarely seen by the public, had been transformed into a cabaret-style performance space for the evening. An exhibit by MCA co-founder and renowned Colorado photographer Mark Sink and other depictions of the Seven Deadly Sins completed the atmosphere.

We began the post-opera portion of entertainment with fire dancer Melinda Rivers. The rain had forced her act inside, but she was aptly prepared with additional routines using LED lights, hoops and swirling fan scarfs to the delight of the audience.

Next up, Ballet Nouveau Colorado presented their brand spanking new piece DiSINtegration, a world-premiere ballet created by BNC Artistic Director Garrett Ammon for SinFest.

In the continuing idea of bringing something a little "different" to Central City Opera, some of our patrons got their first taste of slam poetry by National Poetry Slam Champion Ken Arkind and Lucifury. As we stated in a previous blog post, "This is not your grandma's opera!" This edgy and evocative imagery is not for the faint of heart...but is incredibly fun!

Lucifury with his devilish grin as he introduces a very steamy poem

We ended our time in Williams Stables with mixing and mingling while viewing Mark Sink's photography exhibit.

The rain cleared as we headed outside where we watched Melinda truly "in her element."

We next headed up the hill to the Lanny and Sharon Martin Foundry Rehearsal Center. If you looked carefully, you could still see spike tape on the floor marking out the placement of walls and platforms for opera rehearsals, but I may have been the only one who noticed. Our partygoers were much more focused on their 7 Deadly Zins wine, Kevin Taylor food and the entertaining music of bassist Mike Fitzmaurice (of the well-known Irish band Colcannon) and his Exuberant Ensemble. Among other tunes, they included "My Ship," a jazz standard written by the evening's composer Kurt Weill.

Around 8:00 pm, with the skies clearing once more just in time for our walk downhill, we made our way to Dostal Alley Brewpub and Casino. As the crowd watched from the back balcony, Melinda performed one more set of fire dancing. With the sun beginning to set, her fire breathing was particularly spectacular.

We rounded out the evening with "The 8th Sin," a brew specially created by Dostal Alley (the only brewery in Gilpin County). I'm not one to immediately order a dark beer, but I have to admit this one is decadently smooth. I plan to enjoy another one next weekend!

"The 8th Sin" is on tap at Dostal Alley.

Won't you join me in raising a glass? Our second and final installment of SinFest occurs this Sunday the 24th. Check in at the Teller House (just downhill from the Opera House) around 3:30 pm for your wristband, where you will also receive location information on the geocaches we've hidden around town. Find them throughout the evening and you can claim one of many prizes. Your indulgences begin at 4:00 pm with The Seven Deadly Sins in the Opera House. Tickets are just $50 to enjoy the opera and all seven...er, EIGHT sins. (If you already have your ticket to the opera, you can add on the SinFest option for just $25; call the Box Office at 303-292-6700.)

For more information on the SinFest performers, check our our previous blogpost.